Lots of people are hating on Ukip’s Godfrey Bloom after he featured on the Today programme attacking foreign aid, which he said was used ‘to buy Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris, Ferraris’ and ‘F18s for Pakistan’. What made many furious was that he was recorded referring to recipient countries as ‘Bongo Bongo land’.
I genuinely find it hard to believe that anyone is really offended by this. Maybe I’m missing some part of the brain that relates to outrage; I’m not even offended by jokes about Catholics, the Irish (or the English when I’m in Ireland), or anything else that might be targeted at me in particular. If it’s funny and clever, laugh; if it’s tired, old and predictable, then don’t. I don’t find Bongo Bongo land especially funny, because Alan Clark made the same joke about 25 years ago and that whole golf club shtick of Bloom’s is a bit obvious, but who cares?
If we are to get outraged by what politicians say, it should be when they make fundamentally misleading arguments, like comparing the plight of Palestinians to Jews in occupied Europe.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in